Adjustable thermostat valve



mi. IEgTERF-ELD ADJUS TABLE THERMOS TAT VALVE Filed Nay 5l, 1921 TTORNEYi Patented Dec. 15, 1925.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM WESTEBFIELD, OlFPAS-ADENA, CALIFORNIA..

A ADJUSTABLE THERMOSTAT VALVE.

Lppucation 'nn-.a iray 3'1, 1921. serm Nn. 473,620.

l To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM WESTER- FIELD, a citizen'of the UnitedStates, residing at Pasadena, in the county of LoslAngeles andState ofLCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Ad'ustable Thermostat Valve,of which the ollowing vis a speciication.

This -invention relates to thermostatic valves through which the iiow ofgas is controlled by the action of heat upon certain elements of thevalve and relates more particularly to thermostatic valves used in waterheaters-in whichthe flow of-gas used as the heating medium is regulatedby the temperature of the water'.`

It is an object of -this invention to providea valve of this t e whichvmay be easily adjusted to shut'o the gas' at any 'desired watertemperature, and it is a further object of `th1s invention to provide avalve which will respond readily to changes in the water temperature,and which will be of sim 1e design and construction.

Furtier objects and advantagesl will be made evident hereinafter.`

Referring to the drawing` which is for illustrative purposes only, v

Fig. `1 isa fra mentary view illustrating an application o my invention.

Fig. 2- is alongitudinal vertical section s through the valve shownl inFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged end view of the` thermostat element andthechannelled nut d through which it operates the valve stem.`

Fig. 4 is a section taken on a plane represented by the line 4-.4 ofFig. 3. 1

Fig. 5 is an elevational vi/ew lof a water heating and storage unitVshowing another .form of installation to which my valvey is ap licable.'

ig. 6 is a'section through the thermostat valve and Athe'adapter fittingshown in Fig. 5. By` this combination a unit suitable for use withstandard types of heating appa-4 ratus is provided. y

Fig. 7 is a section taken onv a plane represented by the line 7 7 ofFig. e.

13. Inthis application the valve 11 is .ac--

VIn Fig. 1 of theI drawing, a preferred Deform of my valve 11 is shownmounted in a water tank 12b means of a saddle flange tuatedl by thetemperature of the water within the tank 12 and controls the ow of gasused as a heating agent which .enters assume the arcuate tending `from apoint adjacent to the cham-y ber 30; a threadedmounting 3.2 for a cap 33which .encloses the upper endl of the stem 25 and the knurled thumb knob34 mounted thereupon; and a thermostatelement situthe valve through apipe 15 andisdelivered Y ated within the hollow arm 31' and adapted s toactuate the valve. member 24.

Upon that portion of the arm 31 adjacent to the body120 is formed athreaded hub .35 by which the valve body is secured in the flange 13.Upon the other end of the arm 31 is formed a threaded hub 40 upon whichscrews a cap 41. Within the arm 31 I pro,

vide a thermostat which is composed of met-- alv strips, 43 and 44,having 'different coefwherein the valve is actuated by an increase oftemperature, the strip 43 is of a metal having a lower coeiiicient ofexpansion than the metal of which the strip 44 is made, therefore thesubjection of the thermostat to an increase in temdperature will causeit to osition indicated by the dotted lines 45 of ig. 2 thus seating thevalve member 24 and shutting off the flow .fieients of expansion. Inthis application,

One end of the thermostat 42 is secured hy a screw 50 to a lug 51pro'ecting from and the forks 53 upon which are mounted,

bearings lugs 54, extend into channels 55"' provided in a nut 60 whichis threaded' upon the stem 25. `It will 4be perceived from the Fig. 5that the mannerin which the forks 53 cooperate with the straight groovesformed in the body portion yof the nut 60 prevents the4 nut from turmngupon the valve stem 25. 'l

`In the application in which I have herein shown the preferred form ofmy valve, an increase in the 'temperature of the water surroundingthearm 31 causes an increase in the distortion of thev thermostat, and itwill be perceived that the position.. of the nut 60Awi1l vary accordingto thetemperaturel to which the thermostat is subjected .also that byscrewing the stem '25 eitherAup-- icc wardly o'r downwardly through thenut 60 the valve may be adjusted to close at different tem eratures. A

. Standard mstallations of water heaters such as are now in commonfuseand which generallyv consist of a heater 80 and a storage tank 81, asillustrated in Fig. 5, may be converted into continuous storage systemsby the use of my thermostat valve unit- 82. It is generally the practiceto connect the tank 81 with the supply mains through a pipe 83-in orderthat cold water will be ydelivered to the tankv as the hot water isdrawn otf at the top, and connection is made with the heater throughpiping 84 and 85. ,In this transfer piping I insert the valve unit 82,preferably as illustrated, in order that the temperature of the water incirculation between the tank 81 and the heater 80 Vmay influence `thethermostat valve which isy mounted in the fitting 86.

The fitting 86 is provided with inlet and outlet ports 87 and 88 intowhich may be screwed the pipes 84 and 85, the ports being so locatedthat lthe water flowing therethrough is brought into contact with thefull length of the arm 90 which contains the thermostat 91. When theheater is first put into operation, the water in the storage tank 81 andthe pipes 84 and 85 which contain the thermostat unit 82 iscomparatively cold,

and the thermostat 91 will rest in the dormant position'illustrated inFigfG, and the valve member 93 will be dropped allowing a free passageof gas from the supply pipe 95 through the valve throat 96 and thedelivery pipe 97 which leads to the heater 80. As the water is heatedbyl the heater 80, it is transferred through piping, not shown, to theupper part of the storage tank due .to the circulation set up yby thedifference 1n densities caused by heating. Upon the storage tanksbecoming entirely filled with hot water, the hot water is returnedthrough the transfer piping 84 and 85 to the heater and the thermostat91 is subjected to an increase in temperature and the free end 99thereof is gradually raised until the position indicated by the dottedlines 100 is reached, and the valve member 93 becomes seated,

thuscutting o the flow of gas. It will be.

perceived that the construction which I have illustrated and .describedis such that the cap 101 is easy of access, facilitating the removalof-same and the adjustment of the valve throughthe operation of .thethumb knob 102.

I claim as my invention:

1,. In a thermostatvalve, the combination of: a body providing apassage; a hollow arm extendin from said body; 'athroat forming a va veseat in s id passage; a closure means receivable by said seat; athreaded stem to support..` said closure means; a thermostat in saidhollow arm;

assente a nut threaded upon said stem, said nut receiving the movableend of said thermostat; and means whereby said stem may be turned insaid nut to adjust said closure means, and a cap to enclose theprojecting end of said stem to prevent leakage therearound.

2. In a thermostat valve, the combination of: a body providing apassage; a hollow arm extending from said body; a throat forming a valveseat in said passage; a closure means `receivable by said seat; athreaded stem to support said closure means; a thermostat in said hollowarm; a nut threaded upon said stem', said nut receiving the movable endof said thermostat, and a knob on said valve stem for turning said stemin said nut to adjust said closure means.

3. In a thermostat valve, the combination of: a body providing apassage; a hollow arm extending from said body; a throat forming a valveseat in said passage; a closure means receivable by said seat; athreaded stem to support said closure means; a thermostat in said hollowarm; a nut threaded upon said stem, saidk nut receiving the movable endof said thermostat, a knob on said valve stem for turning said stem insaid nut` to adjust said closure means, and a cap to enclose theprojecting end of said stem to prevent leakage therearound.

4. In a thermostat valve, the combination of: a body providing a passagehaving -a valve seat formed therein; a tubular member extending fromsaid body; a thermostat extending within said tubular member; an axially.projecting lug formed at one end of said tubular member; a freelyaccessible screw threading through one end of said thermostat into saidlug, for securing said thermostat; a cap covering the end of Saidtubular member and said lug and a closure member connected to the otherend ofsaid thermostat for `engaging said seat.

5. In a thermostat valve, the combination otra body having a passagetherethrough;1 a hollow arm extending from said body; a valve seat insaid passage; a threaded stem slidable in said passage; a closure membercarried by' said stem and coacting with said valve seat; a nut threadedupon said stem; a thermostat having onewend secured within said hollowarm and a movable end engagingv said nut for actuating said closuremember; said stem adapted to be rotated so as to adjust said valve.

6. In a thermostat valve: a body having a passage therethrough; a hollowarm extending `from said body: a valve seat in said passage; a threadedstem slidable in said passage; a: closure. member carried by said stemand coacting with said valve seat; a nut threaded upon said stem; athermoof: a body having a passage therethrough;

a hollow arm extending from said body; a valve seat in said passage; athreaded stem slidable in said passage; a closure member carried by saidstem and coacting with said valve seat.; a nut threaded to said stem andprovided with straight grooves; a thermostat having one end securedWithin said' hollow arm and a movable end engagin said nut, preventing'rotation thereof, an adapted to aotuate said closure member; said stemadapted to be rotated to adjust said valve.

8. In a thermostat valve, the combination of: a body having a passagetherethrough; a hollow'arm extending from said body; a valve seat insaid passage; a threaded stem slidable in said passage; a closure membercarried by said stem and coacting with said valve seat; a nut threadedto said stem and provided with straight grooves; a thermostat having oneend secured within said hollow arm and a movable forked end engagingsaid nut for actuating said closure member, the forked end of saidthermostat eoaeting with the grooves on said nut for preventing rotationthereof; said stem adapted to be rotatedito adjust said valve.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand' at Los Angeles,California, this 20th day of May, 1921.

WILLIAM WESTERFIELD.

